Lesson Plan
Walk in My Shoes
Students will be able to identify and describe different perspectives in a given scenario, demonstrating an understanding of empathy and respect by considering how others might feel.
Understanding empathy and respect helps students build stronger relationships, resolve conflicts peacefully, and create a more inclusive classroom and community. It's a fundamental skill for becoming a compassionate and responsible individual.
Audience
4th Grade
Time
15 minutes
Approach
Through a guided discussion and scenario-based activity.
Prep
Preparation
5 minutes
- Review the Lesson Plan and all generated materials.
- Print copies of the Activity: Put Yourself in Their Shoes (one per small group).
- Ensure projector/display is set up for the Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes.
- Arrange students into small groups of 3-4.
Step 1
Warm-Up: How Do You Feel? (2 minutes)
2 minutes
Begin with a quick warm-up to engage students and introduce the concept of feelings. Use the Warm-Up: How Do You Feel? material.
Step 2
Introduction to Empathy and Respect (3 minutes)
3 minutes
Use the first few slides of the Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes to define empathy and respect, and explain their importance. Facilitate a brief class discussion using the prompts in the Teacher Script: Walk in My Shoes.
Step 3
Activity: Put Yourself in Their Shoes (7 minutes)
7 minutes
Distribute the Activity: Put Yourself in Their Shoes to each small group. Instruct students to read the scenarios and discuss how different characters might feel and why. Circulate among groups to provide support and encourage deeper thinking as outlined in the Teacher Script: Walk in My Shoes.
Step 4
Group Share & Discussion (2 minutes)
2 minutes
Bring the class back together. Have one or two groups quickly share their insights from one of the scenarios. Reinforce the key takeaways about perspective-taking, empathy, and respect.
Step 5
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection (1 minute)
1 minute
Conclude the lesson with the Cool-Down: One Word Reflection to allow students to quickly reflect on what they learned or felt during the activity.
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Slide Deck
Walk in My Shoes: Empathy & Respect
What does it mean to truly understand someone else?
Greet students and start with the warm-up activity. This slide serves as a visual introduction to the lesson theme.
What is Empathy?
Empathy is understanding and sharing the feelings of another.
It's like putting yourself in someone else's shoes to see how their experience feels to them.
Define empathy in simple terms. Ask students if they've ever felt what another person was feeling. Use examples relevant to their lives.
What is Respect?
Respect is treating someone with care and consideration.
It means valuing others for who they are, even if they are different from you.
Define respect. Emphasize that respect involves recognizing the value and dignity of every person, even if you don't agree with them.
Our Activity: Put Yourself in Their Shoes
We're going to read some stories and imagine how the characters feel. This helps us practice empathy and respect!
Explain that the upcoming activity will help them practice empathy and respect. Introduce the idea of scenarios.
Time to Discuss!
In your small groups, read each scenario and discuss these questions:
* How might each person feel?
* Why might they feel that way?
* What could you do or say to show empathy and respect?
Transition to the group activity. Remind students to work together and listen to each other's ideas.
Sharing Our Thoughts
What did you learn from putting yourself in someone else's shoes?
How can we use empathy and respect every day?
Facilitate a brief whole-class share out. Ask one or two groups to share their thoughts on a scenario. Reinforce the main points.
Reflect and Grow
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and working together! Remember to always try to 'walk in someone else's shoes'.
End the lesson with the cool-down activity.
Warm Up
Warm-Up: How Do You Feel?
Think about how you are feeling right now. Use one word to describe your feeling.
Then, think about why you feel that way.
Share your word (and maybe why) with a partner near you!
Activity
Activity: Put Yourself in Their Shoes
Instructions: Read each scenario with your group. Discuss the questions below for each story. Remember to listen to each other and think deeply about how others might feel.
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Scenario 1: The New Kid
A new student named Maya joined your class today. During lunch, she sat alone at a table, looking down at her food. Most of the other students were busy chatting with their friends.
- How might Maya be feeling?
- Why might she feel that way?
- What could you do or say to show empathy and respect to Maya?
Scenario 2: The Broken Project
Your classmate, Leo, worked very hard on a science project. He spent weeks building a volcano model. On the day of the science fair, someone accidentally bumped into his table, and the volcano tumbled to the floor, breaking into pieces. Leo's eyes welled up with tears.
- How might Leo be feeling?
- Why might he feel that way?
- What could you do or say to show empathy and respect to Leo and the person who bumped into the table?
Scenario 3: The Lost Game
During recess, your soccer team lost a game by one point. Your teammate, Sam, made the mistake that allowed the other team to score the winning goal. Sam looks really sad and is avoiding eye contact with everyone.
- How might Sam be feeling?
- Why might they feel that way?
- What could you do or say to show empathy and respect to Sam?
Cool Down
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
Think about what we discussed today about empathy and respect.
In one word, what is the most important thing you learned or felt during our activity?
You can share it quietly with a neighbor, or just keep it in your thoughts.
Script
Teacher Script: Walk in My Shoes
Warm-Up: How Do You Feel? (2 minutes)
(Display Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes - Slide 1)
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Let's start our day by checking in with ourselves. Take a moment to think about how you are feeling right now. When you have a word, turn to a partner and share your word and, if you feel comfortable, why you feel that way. You have about one minute."
(After 1 minute)
"Thank you for sharing. It's good to be aware of our own feelings, and it's also important to be aware of how others might be feeling."
Introduction to Empathy and Respect (3 minutes)
(Display Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes - Slide 2: What is Empathy?)
"Today, we're going to talk about two very important words: empathy and respect. Has anyone heard these words before? What do you think they mean?"
(Allow 1-2 student responses. Guide towards the definition on the slide if needed.)
"That's right! Empathy is about understanding and sharing the feelings of another person. It's like trying to imagine what it's like to walk in their shoes and see the world from their point of view. Why do you think it's important to understand how others feel?"
(Allow 1-2 student responses.)
(Display Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes - Slide 3: What is Respect?)
"Now, let's look at respect. Respect means treating someone with care and consideration. It means valuing people for who they are, even if they are different from us. How does showing respect make someone feel?"
(Allow 1-2 student responses.)
Activity: Put Yourself in Their Shoes (7 minutes)
(Display Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes - Slide 4: Our Activity)
"Great job! Now we're going to put our empathy and respect skills into practice. I'm going to divide you into small groups."
(Divide students into small groups of 3-4.)
"Each group will receive an activity sheet called Activity: Put Yourself in Their Shoes. On this sheet, there are a few short stories, or scenarios. Your task is to read each scenario together and discuss the questions that follow."
(Display Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes - Slide 5: Time to Discuss!)
"As you discuss, really try to imagine what it would be like to be the person in the story. Think about these questions:
- How might each person feel?
- Why might they feel that way?
- What could you do or say to show empathy and respect?"
"I'll be walking around to listen and help if you get stuck. You have about 7 minutes for this activity. Begin!"
(Circulate among groups, listening to discussions, prompting deeper thinking if groups are superficial, e.g., "Why do you think Maya would feel lonely?" or "What specifically could you say to Leo that would show you understand?")
Group Share & Discussion (2 minutes)
(After 7 minutes, bring the class back together. Display Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes - Slide 6: Sharing Our Thoughts)
"Alright, class, let's come back together. Excellent discussions I heard! Can one or two groups share one scenario they discussed and what they learned from it? Who would like to start?"
(Call on 1-2 groups to share briefly. Affirm their contributions.)
"Fantastic! It's clear you all put a lot of thought into understanding others. Remember, practicing empathy and respect helps us build a stronger, kinder classroom and community."
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection (1 minute)
(Display Slide Deck: Walk in My Shoes - Slide 7: Reflect and Grow)
"To wrap up, take a final moment to think about what we discussed today. In one word, what is the most important thing you learned or felt during our 'Walk in My Shoes' activity? You can keep it in your thoughts or share it quietly with a neighbor."
"Thank you, everyone! Remember to keep practicing empathy and respect in your daily lives. You all did a wonderful job today!"